Fate or Something Like it
by IHeartUCato
Summary: For Midnight-Solace. A story about Marcus and Evelyn's 'relationship' from how they met to her exile. "I think it was fate or something like it, that had Marcus and I paired up for that assignment where it all began. Because without getting to know Marcus Eaton; without the brutal beatings; without my affair and my eventual exile, I wouldn't be who I am today." Spoilers. R&R!


**A/N- This idea was given to me by Midnight-Solace so here it is! I hope it's as good as you were hoping and more! **

The first time I had officially met Marcus was when we were fourteen and got paired up with each other for a project on the history of Chicago. I had seen him around before, but I had never actually talked to him. He was handsome enough with messy dark brown hair and a strong build for someone from Erudite. But his eyes! They were the most amazing shade of dark blue; like the deepest ocean. And the blue shirts he always wore brought them out even more. Those eyes continued to mesmerize me every time I looked at them.

We were in the library late at night as they never closed in case someone needed to do some late niht studying or were in need of a book. I had been trying to find something useful for the project, but after so many tests with results below average for Erudite standard, I had always known I didn't fit in with the others. That just made me more determined to try though.

"Stop stressing yourself Evelyn." He had said without even looking up from his textbook.

"Yeah, okay." I had mumbled, shoving my face deeper into my book to try to hide my embarrassment.

I had heard him sigh and then the rustle of paper come from his side of the table, but I refused to look up. That is, until I felt his warm hand on mine. Only then did I look up into his beautiful blue eyes. "Seriously Evelyn. It's okay."

That was the day I fell for Marcus Eaton.

Over the next couple weeks the two of us got to know each other better and even after we handed in our project (with the top marks in the class) we still hung out with each other until one day two months later he finally asked me out.

As Erudite, the whole dating thing before we chose the faction we'd live in forever was illogical. What would happen if the two of you didn't end up in the same faction? What if changing factions changes you? I'm sure we were both thinking about those questions, as were all the people who stared at our entwined hands as we walked past, but I hadn't cared.

Until the fateful day we had our aptitude tests. I had always known I didn't really belong with the Erudite; I had just pushed that thought into the deepest recesses of my mind until I forgot about it entirely. But Marcus would surely get Erudite; he was the top of the class only ever compared to Jeanine Mathews.

So that day I had run into my room and shut the door not wanting to talk to anybody. I didn't know how I was supposed to tell him I couldn't stay here; if I tried they'd kick me out and make me factionless in a second! So I had just stayed holed up in my room until an insistent tapping on my window had caused me to open it. Down below me on the ground stood Marcus throwing pebbles at my window. The boy I'd have to leave the next day. So, I did the only thing I could think of; I broke up with him.

"Go away!" I had shouted. "I never want to see your face again so just leave me alone!"

He had just stood there, shocked by my outburst. "Evelyn? Is everything okay?"

"No! It isn't! And it won't be until you leave me alone and never come back!" I yelled before slamming my window shut and not looking back.

He stayed there all night throwing pebbles; reminding me of what couldn't be. It kept me up all night until somewhere around midnight it stopped. I was relieved and heartbroken and happy all at the same time. He had finally stopped. But that meant he had given up on me. But that had also meant that tomorrow, when I changed factions and left him behind he wouldn't be hurt as bad. He wouldn't care.

The next morning when I left for The Hub, I shied away from all the people in hopes of being able to collect myself before I changed my life forever and left everything and everyone behind.

When it was finally time for the ceremony to start, I got in my position even though I was still shaking like a leaf. I stood in line and waited as the others found their places and waited. Then _he _walked past me. The blue eyes I had been in love with for the past two years were filled with sadness and rimmed with blue and red as well as being extremely puffy. He didn't sleep. He cried. For me. _Because_ of me.

I tried to shake those types of thoughts away or hide them somewhere else, but the moment he looked at me, I knew I couldn't. Those blue eyes seemed to be staring right through me; though me all the way to my very soul. And that was the moment I knew those eyes would haunt me forever.

I had waited patiently, as patiently as one could when waiting to decide their future, until finally, "Evelyn Johnson!"

I had walked up to the stand, taking the knife out of the hands of the woman standing there. Her red and yellow clothes showed that she was from Amity. I took the knife to my hand and cut a shallow and jagged cut through it before letting my blood all on the stones, the symbol of the Abnegation; the faction to which I belonged. I am not Erudite, hungry for knowledge and power. I am Abnegation; I am selfless.

I had walked calmly to the back of the Abnegation group and waited or the ordeal to be over. But of course, his name caught my attention as it always has. "Marcus Eaton!" He walked forward calmly, a firm set to his mouth, before accepting the knife. His eyes met mine over the heads of those between us and between the mass of grey surrounding me. And without even looking, he cut his palm and let his blood flow over the stones. He chose to be Abnegation. He chose to be selfless. Because I did.

We waited until the end of the ceremony, him standing beside me, not touching or saying anything, just letting me know he was there with his presence; reminding me that now that we had both chosen we needed to talk.

We stayed at the back of the group as we walked down the stairs. Me explaining why I had said what I had and how sorry I was. Him telling me that it was okay and that he understood and how selfless it was of me.

His understanding meant everything to me. I had thought it would last forever.

The next six years passed quickly, a blur of ordinary and grey and happiness. We were both on the council and worked efficiently; our Erudite heritage shining through just a little. Most of the time I had been placated by the happiness that the love of my life and I were together and happy and we could live our lives together until we grew old. But there was always that nagging part of my brain, the Erudite part, that always wondered how. How did he fit in so well here? He was the perfect Erudite; and yet also the perfect Abnegation it would seem. So how?

On one of our very few days off, Marcus had taken me for a walk along the edges of the city; walking by the beautiful Amity farms with their beautiful colours that weren't grey, grey and more grey all the time. And then he stopped under a beautiful tree with pink blossoms sprouting all around and falling off in the gentle breeze.

There he had stopped. There he had taken my hand and folded himself down onto one knee while pulling put a small and exquisite velvet box out of his pocket. There he proposed to me. "Evelyn Johnson. I love you more than life itself. Would you make me the happiest man in the world by marrying me?"

I had just stared, tears prickling my eyes as the man I loved stayed there, kneeling on the ground proposing to me.

I had said yes, of course, leaning in and kissing him as I hadn't often been able to do with the Abnegation's modesty. But there, under that tree I did as he slid the ring onto my finger. I took a moment to admire it. It was beautiful in its simplicity. A simple silver band with a small heart shaped diamond that had a soft blue hue to it that was anything but coincidental.

We were married one year later.

It was a simple reception; only our closest friends were there as our families were no longer our families. I wore a simple white dress while Marcus had worn a grey tuxedo. We had said our prewritten vows and kissed as the preacher told us to. It was a beautiful day.

And then it had all come crashing down.

A year later, I had become pregnant and had given birth to our son Tobias. I had never specifically wanted a child, but Marcus did, so I had agreed. But once Tobias was capable of moving around on his own and being able to eat solid food, the beatings began.

At first it was just a slap from an argument about Tobias. But I couldn't blame him for that; I was the one who punched him in the chest first. Then it got worse; punches were thrown and bones were broken. Excuses were made and justifications were used up until justifying what was happening became an impossible dream. He never hit me where someone could possibly see though. Only us. And only behind closed doors.

Then one day he had brought out the belt. Telling me it was for my own good, he had lashed me repeatedly until I fell under submission. Tobias was seven when I saw the first marks on him. The first marks that proved that the man I had loved had disappeared and in his place stood a man who abused his wife and the child that _he _had wanted. Not me. Never me. I never had a say in anything after that.

Another year later I had to go to the Candor compound to go to a very important meeting. The day ended with the beginning of an affair.

I knew it wasn't right, but neither was beating the woman you claimed to love. And doing what I had with Jack had taken the stress away; had given me what I could only explain as a glimmer of hope. Hope that not all men were like Marcus. Hope that I could have a life beyond the hurt; beyond the pain.

So we kept it up. Every month I would leave for a week to be with Jack and I had thought it was so well thought out and so well planned that nothing could go wrong.

I was wrong. Oh so wrong.

It had been a full year, Tobias had just turned nine and the beatings were worse. I feared for him, but I knew there was nothing I could do. And so one night, after I had put Tobias to bed, I had gone downstairs hoping that today would be one of Marcus' good days where he wouldn't beat me.

I had been relieved at first to find him sitting calmly on the sofa, but then he opened his mouth.

"How long have you and Jack been together?" He had asked without even turning to face me.

I had stood there shocked, just staring at him before I was finally able to squeak out, "Excuse me?"

"You and Jack." He said turning to face me. I could see anger burning in the blue eyes of his that I had grown to hate and fear having my own son have those same ones. "I know you two have been sleeping together Evelyn. Do not lie to me."

"I don't know what you're talking about." I told him regaining my composure.

The anger had flared in his eyes and from beside him he pulled out his belt and he struck me with it in the ribs before I could react. I had cried out in pain, but as usual that didn't stop him. He struck me again and again, hitting my stomach, my back and my legs as I fell to the ground until finally, mercifully, he stopped.

"Get on your knees and look at me."

I did as he said and when I did I could see the anger etched right onto his face; something I never saw since his face was usually an emotionless mask. Then, all of a sudden, he jerked his arm and the belt flew around my neck, tightening until I was coughing and choking and gasping for air.

"Every day I have had to teach you a lesson because I love you and don't want you to get hurt." What a lie, I had thought to myself. "But not anymore. Now you have crossed the line Evelyn. I am filing for your immediate exile." And with that he had jerked one last time, tightening the belt again, before letting the belt go and leaving the house, slamming the door behind him.

I had pulled the belt off and had gasped for air. I needed to leave; I couldn't be exiled. So I had thought up a plan to fake my own death instead. Tobias would be okay; he would be safer here with Marcus than he would be with the factionless. At least that's what had I told myself. My brain was telling me something completely different though; it was saying that I thought he would be safer here because I never wanted him. But I couldn't take it back so he would live here with Marcus.

I had planned my death perfectly. A Dauntless training exercise gone "wrong" leading to the Abnegation faction leader's wife's death. Just before her exile too. I had packed very few things; an extra pair of clothes, toiletries and some cans of food. And then I had run off to live with the factionless.

I think it was fate or something like it, that had Marcus and I paired up for that assignment where it all began. Because without getting to know Marcus Eaton; without the brutal beatings; without my affair and my eventual exile, I wouldn't be who I am today. I wouldn't have risen to the power that I have achieved over these outcasts, these factionless. Because without Marcus, I wouldn't have the power to overthrow him.

**A/N- So how was it? At the beginning, I thought that if she was all in love it would make sense to use that to lead up to her cold-hearted-ness. Plus, I never really thought she cared about Tobias. Poor him :( Anyway, review please and don't forget to vote on my poll! LOVE YA, BYE-BYE!**


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